Ernest J. Gaines' novel, In My Father's House

 This novel is unlike many other works by Gaines in that it focuses on a man largely responsible for his own downfall. He is a "victim" of his desire for power, for example, but that desire can be seen as a cultural heritage, a desire merely to seek freedom from powerlessness. Popkin writes of another of Gaines' works: "The result is a people's novel, one revealing unwritten history and depicting the examples of those who, in refusing to accept reality without question, rebelled against it" (Popkin 202). Perhaps Popkin's analysis applies to Martin as well, if we see his sins as a kind of rebellion, however self-destructive, against both the heritage of black oppression and his role as upstanding moral and social

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not. It is important to note here that Gaines' novel is effective in part precisely because it eschews outright social criticism of the white community or of racism in ideological terms. As Major writes, Whether or not one chooses to believe that a novelist should try to solve social problems through his work, there simply is no evidence that social propaganda has ever helped anybody toward a larger or deeper vision and sense of life (Major 58). This "larger or deeper vision and sense of life" includes a focus on family and community and the connection to them that Martin seemed to enjoy, although his doom awaited him in the person of his long abandoned son. Martin corrupted that connection with his personal weaknesses, but the novel is, in effect, an affirmation of that connection rather than a condemnation of the man. The novel is a warning to those who would hide their weaknesses from and betray their family and community, and who will ultimately have their day of reckoning. Not only does the community accept him as their moral and religious leader despite his flaws, they are pressing him to serve as their political standard-bearer as well. When one of the people in the audience suggests that the freedom to vote, whic
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Reverend Martin, Please Don't, Catherine Carmier, Philip Martin, House Representatives, America Papa, Baton Rouge, Steinberg Gaines, America Ruland, Black Arts, ernest gaines, civil rights, father's house, baton rouge, gaines' novel, moral leader, weakness women, vision sense life, gaines nevertheless, vision heritage, gaines james, i'm lost alma, moral religious leader, york frederick ungar, goes baton rouge,
Approximate Word count = 4088
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page)